Things started to amp up again this season after season four being quite underwhelming. I definitely felt this season was a lot more modern than previous ones have been.

In this season we see the times changing for the Abbey and its inhabitants, from Daisy wanting to learn academic studies again to better her chances in life, to the village finally coming to terms with The Great War and setting up a memorial for it, and even Edith finally being able to tell people that Marigold is her daughter.

I definitely forgot many times watching this season that we are still in the 1920s, everything felt so much more modern compared to other seasons and I had to keep reminding myself that World War II hadn’t even happened yet and Hitler was still just a small-time thug in Germany. I really enjoyed this season though especially with the inclusion of Rose finding a man and actually settling down, especially as she has been such a tyrannical character so far and really has her own mind. That’s what made it feel modern to me, the fact that the women in it now seem to be actual fleshed out characters and not just birth givers.

With the revelation that Tom and Rose were going to be leaving Downton at the end of the season I do feel season six is going to be different. Of course Rose hasn’t been in it since the start, but she has become such a main character taking Sybill’s place that it will be weird to have two big characters missing from the show. In some ways I wonder if that’s why season six is the last season because people are starting to drop off, but regardless, I’m excited to see where the storyline goes with that and the subsequent movie as well.

I really enjoyed the inclusion of looking at other groups of people in this season too from the Russians being pushed out of Russia to Rose marrying a Jewish man and the issues that came with that, as well is Tom finding a woman that he befriends and him almost changing back to the man he was when he first met Sybill and that causing a lot of issues within the family again.

I’m glad I didn’t give up on Downton Abbey after season four. Season four was definitely a lull for Downton and its excitement and I definitely feel it’s picked up this season. However I do still feel that maybe them ending at season six was the right move for it because I do feel things are winding down now, especially as the children grow and change, and as we enter a more modern time with the trials and tribulations of life seem almost seeming petty to what they will have to deal with in the future.

What do you think of season five?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding